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Susan Wojcicki, the CEO of YouTube explains why paid maternity leave is good for business in her most recently published article in the Wall Street Journal. She propels this issue to the forefront of our minds as we head into 2015, taking an influential stance on the importance to continue this conversation.

I was Google’s first employee to go on maternity leave. In 1999, I joined the startup that founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin had recently started in my garage. I was four months pregnant. At the time the company had no revenue and only 15 employees, almost all of whom were male. Joining a startup pregnant with my first child was risky, but Larry and Sergey assured me I’d have their support.

This month, I’ll go on maternity leave once again—my fifth time—joining the nearly 5,000 women who have done so since I joined Google. And though I’m now CEO of YouTube (which is owned by Google), I’ll be entitled to the same benefits as every single woman at the company who has a baby: 18 weeks of paid maternity leave.

Having experienced how valuable paid maternity leave is to me, my family and my career, I never thought of it as a privilege. But the sad truth is that paid maternity leave is rare in America, and the U.S. lags behind the rest of the world in providing for the needs of pregnant women and new mothers.

Susan not only highlights the recent reports released by the Department of Labor regarding statistics on the U.S. being the ONLY developed country in world that doesn’t offer government-mandated paid maternity leave, but also points to the Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993 as a step in the right direction, but being unpaid —does not offer enough substance for women and families to adequately support their families while on leave.

The statement that has drawn the most media attention, that paid maternity leave is GOOD for business is backed by data that paid leave not only offers more productivity upon return, it enhances overall company morale.

Paid maternity leave is also good for business. After California instituted paid medical leave, a survey in 2011 by the Center for Economic and Policy Research found that 91% of employers said the policy either boosted profits or had no effect. They also noted improved productivity, higher morale and reduced turnover.

That last point is one we’ve seen at Google. When we increased paid maternity leave to 18 from 12 weeks in 2007, the rate at which new moms left Google fell by 50%. (We also increased paternity leave to 12 weeks from seven, as we know that also has a positive effect on families and our business.) Mothers were able to take the time they needed to bond with their babies and return to their jobs feeling confident and ready. And it’s much better for Google’s bottom line—to avoid costly turnover, and to retain the valued expertise, skills and perspective of our employees who are mothers.

Best of all, mothers come back to the workforce with new insights. I know from experience that being a mother gave me a broader sense of purpose, more compassion and a better ability to prioritize and get things done efficiently. It also helped me understand the specific needs and concerns of mothers, who make most household spending decisions and control more than $2 trillion of purchasing power in the U.S.

It is refreshing to see women in executive level positions, who are career focused and also mothers –support and enhance the growth of this movement and continue this very important conversation. Thank you Susan and all Blissfulmamas who have lead the effort for change to embrace paid leave in 2015. The time is now.

Connie, Thanks for sharing your inspiring story. You are truly an amazing Mama, showing perseverance and courage for your daughter, all while of course looking fabulous! We wish you all the best and success in the years to come & wish you the happiest of Birthdays!

xo Blissfulmamas

Single Mama on a Mission

I am 32 years old single Mom to my daughter Charlotte, who turned two in September. I am currently co-parenting with my ex-husband and am proud that despite our differences we are on the same page parenting our daughter and have sound communication. People always say that being a Mom is one of the hardest and rewarding jobs all in one. I do not think I ever really understood what that meant until I actually became a Mom. Charlotte has brought me more unconditional love than I knew was possible and I have been able to see the world through this little persons eyes all over again.

Being a Mom has without question changed me for the I am more compassionate, understanding, have redirected values/interests, and frankly do not have time to worry about half of the irrelevant things I was concerned with before I had Charlotte. It has also strengthened my relationships with my family and friends and brought several amazing new ones into my life.

For me the hardest part of being a Mom is that our family life is not how I imagined it would be and that makes me sad for Charlotte. She will never know her family all together under one roof and all of the amazing things that come along with that every day. Luckily, her Dad and I are very amicable which has made the process as manageable as possible and seamless for Charlotte as can be.

Career Challenges, Perks & Rewards

I work full time at Manulife and John Hancock Financial Services, a global financial services firm as the Head of Campus Talent Acquisition for North America. In my role, I lead a team of eight individuals in the attraction and retention of student talent for internship, coop, and new grad programs. I have worked for the company for over 3.5 years and this is my third position during that time.

The biggest challenge for me has been balancing everything, especially while going through a divorce and being a single working Mom. The truth is, if you let yourself, you can feel guilty about just about everything. The thing that has helped me to navigate this is a strong network of people professionally and personally who are supportive, offer a listening ear, and remind me that I am doing a great job.

From a work perspective, I could not have asked for a better situation. I took an extended maternity leave, came back to work on a compressed work week, and now work 1 day per week from home. My company offers flexible work arrangements to work from home, compressed work week, etc. depending on individual’s roles and performance. Our benefits packages offer great rewards for flexible spending, HSA, Back-up child care, college savings discounts, mother’s rooms for breastfeeding, and an onsite gym with health and wellness discounts and benefits.

The most rewarding thing for me is that I have not lost my professional identity. I am continuing to grow and evolve in the way that works for me and being the best me for my daughter.

Organization Style

This is definitely a juggling act. Before having Charlotte, I was very focused on having a clean home, being organized, etc. While this has not completely gone to the wayside, sometimes it takes a back seat. I rely heavily on lists, routines, iphone calendar to stay organized, and leveraging external resources (house cleaners!). For me it is critical to give myself treats here and there too. For example if I know I am tired one week, Charlotte and I will grab dinner at Whole Foods and eat out. It’s fun for her, switches things up and makes me feel like I have a break….the little things go a long way. Iphone and google calendars are essential for us.

Girls Just Wanna Have Fun!

Charlotte and I spend a lot of time at the park, at gymnastics, play dates with friends, and we do sneak in Disney movies. Currently Aladdin, Cinderella, and Frozen are the favorites. This summer we vacationed with family at the beach. Our must haves are love, patience, laughter, and to celebrate the small moments.

Focusing on Myself

I have joint custody of Charlotte, so I have some time to take care of myself. I work-out 6 days a week and find this is very important to manage stress and the many things I have going on in my life. I also try to get a massage or a manicure every other month or so, it helps me to feel like I have not lost all of the things I indulged before I was a mama. Spending time with my family/friends has been critical. Going through this experience, while one of the hardest things I have ever gone through it has shown me that I have amazing people in my life that will always be there for me no matter what and love me for who I am.

Future Goals & Moving Forward

I wish I had more time to read and travel. I have had the chance to travel quite a bit this year with Charlotte and on my own. In 2015 my goal is to visit Europe. I find inspiration in others who have overcome hardships, not necessarily similar to me own, in general. It helps me to know I am not alone in overcoming a challenging time in my life and that this too shall pass. Additionally, having an amazing group of supportive Mommy friends is critical. I feel like as women we are so hard on ourselves so having someone who you can relate to and that offers you empathy is crucial. Friendship/family support, time to myself to work-out and relax.

Tools for the Wise:

At home: Staying organized is key and accepting when things do not go as planned which is inevitable with a toddler. It is important for me to know Charlotte and I have special time, if I travel for work or play I will plan a day for her and I to do something just us.

At work: This is a struggle for me because I am constantly pushing for more…sometimes this could mean I feel better if I work on a Friday night (weird I know), but I know I will feel better the next day. The key for me is to listen to myself and what I need to not be overwhelmed. As I mentioned earlier, we are all different and unique and I think you need to listen to yourself and what is going to make you individually “balance it all’.

Finding Balance

My advice for other Mama’s; Cut yourself some slack!, two deep breaths go a long way, and find a network at home and at work that support you and help you to grow as an individual.My schedule is my biggest challenge because I always want to be in two places at once. It’s hard not to feel guilty for that because I am such a driven person. I work Mon-Thurs in the office, Fridays from home and travel every 5-6 weeks to Canada for about 3-4 days. The nice thing for me is that my work is very flexible so I am able to spend more time with my daughter after I have traveled.

All or Nothing

The biggest challenge I face is that everything I do is all or nothing. When I have Charlotte it’s all me all the time which can be tough on hard days as my family does not live locally. Even on these days, I am constantly reminded that she and I are creating amazing memories just the two of us and the time we spend is truly quality time.

My name is Liz McGrory and I own Coach LizzyMc ~ Working Mom Coach. I am all about getting Working Moms to ignite their Mommy Energy. I am a Certified Professional Coach and was voted Rookie Coach of the Year in 2013 by the International Coach Federation New England Chapter. I am a blogger, speaker and author of “Igniting Mommy Energy” which came out on the first day of summer in 2014.

Prior to starting my business I worked in IT which was male dominant. When I spoke with customers they were often surprise to hear a woman’s voice. When I became a Working Mom I felt alone. There were a few Working Dads who were there for me, but it was still lonely. I overcame these challenges after being coached by a Leadership Coach. I discovered how to make brave work/life choices such as starting a new career path (aka start my own business) where I’d work with only women.

My children have seen me as a Corporate Working Mom and now as a business owner. They know that I’m working on something I deeply care about and that I’m helping people. I am tickled pink to be contributing to my family’s wealth while doing something that I love.

CAREER JOURNEY

When I first became a Working Mom, my supportive manager at the time said, “Lizzy, you just need to find balance and you’ll be all set.”. This was the first time I had heard of this ‘80’s term. Since I didn’t know what that meant I dove back into my career. When I left for my second maternity leave I thought I’d return to a promotion (which I truly wanted because I was burnt out in my current role). Well, the promotion wasn’t there. Instead I learned multiple life lessons which resulted in starting my own business. I experienced how coaching changed my world and I want to give that same opportunity to others. My services include Mommy Energy Coaching Sessions either one-on-one or group via Skype, Google+ Hangouts, or phone. In addition to coaching I’m also a professional speaker speaking at local companies about time and energy management.

FAMILY

I am happily married with three young children. My oldest son is 6 years old, my oldest girl is 4 years old and my youngest daughter is 1 ½ years old. My husband and I discovered early on that co-parenting works well for us. Most household chores are split between us, but now that the kids are older they want to earn an allowance (yes!!). We hit soccer games on the weekend and practice and dance class during the week. My son is in first grade and my oldest daughter goes to pre-school three days a week. My youngest naps in the p.m., so two days a week I can focus on marketing my business and on Friday’s I relax. Quiet time is a must on Fridays so that I can tackle the fun things on the weekend.

ORGANIZATION

I have an 8×10 planner that keeps my life and biz in check. Every Sunday night I plan out the week according to personal and professional goals I want to tackle. Goals keep pushing me forward (otherwise I’ll procrastinate and that will make me feel awful). Every morning I aim to complete 3 personal things and 3 biz things that are beyond what is already scheduled for the day. For instance, this survey was on the list today, but so wasn’t building a scarecrow/volunteer work, hitting the school fall festival, getting the kids off to soccer, which is where they are now while the baby is asleep, then dinner tonight to celebrate my husband’s new job. Yes, busy day, they aren’t all like this. Having only three things for personal & biz is manageable for me. If I don’t complete all six goals, I figure out why. Was I low on energy? Was there too many things scheduled on the calendar? Was I dealing with many emotions that day? This is a great learning opportunity.

Groceries used to be a chore for me. I’ve never been a big fan. Once I became organized about food prep food shopping wasn’t a big deal. I have an excel sheet that maps out my supermarket by aisle. I have a binder of recipes. Getting meal prep organized has made my grocery trips less stressful!! Bills are something my husband does. I have enough on my plate and don’t mind delegating.

DOWN TIME

All-in-all we have been homebodies and just enjoy hanging out around the house and yard. In the summer we swim in the pool, go for bike rides, play hide & seek and hang out with the neighbors. We are blessed to have many young families around us. We attend some meet-ups that are hosted by a Mom’s Group I belong to. My husband and I are very close to our parents so we visit them often or vice versa. We try to do date night and the kids will sleepover at the grandparents. Before our 3rd child this happened once per month, but now it’s probably once every three months (three kids overnight is a bit much). In the summer, we take a vacation down on Cape Cod. We’ve discovered that vacation is about creating fun memories not for relaxation. We will have plenty of time to relax later on in life!

COMMUNICATION

I don’t know how I functioned without a smartphone. I love my iPhone. I used to use Google Calendar for personal use, but now I’m back to paper, but I do use it for business meetings. We talk. A lot. I guess I could say “open communication” but that sounds too formal. We just talk a lot. Mostly about love. If someone isn’t treating someone right, it all comes down to love. “Is that something you do if you love your sister?” “Is that showing your brother how much you love him?” “You are lucky to have a baby sister who you can teach everything you know about love”. It all just comes down to love. It’s as simple as that.

ME

It’s sad that after becoming a Working Mom I “lost myself”. One time my coach asked me what do I like to do. I replied, “I like to cook, have a clean house, and take care of my children”. He said, “Liz, those are things you HAVE to do, not things that you LIKE to do.” Sadly, I didn’t have an answer for him. So my “homework” that week was to rediscover what I liked to do. So I LOVE to read, run, crochet, and garden, but not in that order.

INSPIRATION

Twitter. I enjoy searching for the hashtag #workingmom and reading what other working moms are saying. There are so many of us out there crushing it and/or losing it. I enjoy being there for them, talking to them, seeing if I can help in 140 characters or less. It’s fun and it’s quick! Another thing I have found inspirational and motivational is working out with friends. I don’t live close to my friend I’m running the half marathon with. So we created a private Facebook group to check in and we also follow each other on the app Map My Run. It’s been great using her as my inspiration & motivation.

TO BALANCE OR NOT TO BALANCE

Don’t strive for balance; it’s a term that was created back in 1986. It’s time for us to move on from this phrase. I like to focus on each decision I make about work and life. This way I can celebrate mini-triumphs often. If I have a setback, it’ll only be a minor one because I know that I made the choice based on what I thought was right in that moment. Every day is something different, which is the complete opposite of how my working life used to be. I love it but keeping my priorities straight can be challenging. To keep myself on track I write down my goals for the week, then break them down into daily goals, like I said before. Distractions can sneak up on me quickly so I keep a copy of my weekly goals up on the fridge. I have one of those clip magnets so I can easily take my list down and travel with it. Across from the fridge we have the family white board calendar so in the mornings I can see what’s planned for the day and then choose what goals will be my priority. There are days when this ritual doesn’t happen (aka I fall off the band wagon), but it is what it is! If I don’t have the Mommy Energy to get things done then my body is telling me that my health, either mental or physical, should be my priority that day.

STRATEGY

I don’t want to do it all all by myself. I’ve learned that trying to live life that way is just no fun, especially when we kept adding more children to our family. Having a strong and loving support system has helped me create all that I’ve wanted to do for my family, business, and personal life. I follow the 5W’s when I ask for help. I know who I can count on, they know when & where I’ll need help and with what, but the most important is the why. Declaring the why made me feel vulnerable at first, but then I learned that it DOES take a village to raise a family. When my support system knows ‘why’ I need help they know what’s expected of them. This makes them feel competent that they can truly help me.

FREEZE THOSE EGGS! A NEW BENEFIT PERK?

In the Silicon Valley arms race to lure the top talent with the best benefits and attract more women to their staff , Facebook and Apple are offering to pay for the egg freezing procedure for women who choose it to delay childbearing.

With this latest announcement, comes a flurry of opinions on the matter. Does this benefit really help women in their careers take the pressure off?

Having a high-powered career and children is still a very hard thing to do,” said Brigitte Adams, an egg-freezing advocate and founder of the patient forum Eggsurance.com. By offering this benefit, companies are investing in women, she said, and supporting them in carving out the lives they want.

This latest NBC article makes some very interesting points; although I wish they had actually interviewed potential candidates for this new benefit and gotten their take on the topic. Will people really utilize this benefit? How does this benefit change family planning / career plans? Would you consider freezing your eggs in hopes to get ahead in your career, to avoid the dreadful biological clock that most women fear? Will the process work when you are actually ready to have children? Is the process painful? What are the risks that it all together will not work?

With the great pressures on women and career, this benefit will most likely come at an important time in bringing more women into the workforce, and assisting them to reach top level executive opportunities.

From a business perspective, most want to know…will this perk pay off?

“The attitude toward egg freezing is very different,” and more positive, than just a few years ago, said Christy Jones, founder of Extend Fertility, a company that offers and promotes egg freezing across the country. Women are making the proactive decision to freeze their eggs at a younger age, and the choice is “more one of empowerment than, this is my last chance”

Will the perk pay off for companies? The benefit will likely encourage women to stay with their employer longer, cutting down on recruiting and hiring costs. And practically speaking, when women freeze their eggs early, firms may save on pregnancy costs in the long run, said Westphal. A woman could avoid paying to use a donor egg down the road, for example, or undergoing more intensive fertility treatments when she’s ready to have a baby.

But the emotional and cultural payoff may be more valuable, said Jones: Offering this benefit “can help women be more productive human beings.”

This last statement makes me cringe “help women be more productive human beings” REALLY? I didn’t realize we were all so unproductive. Regardless of your organization’s standpoint, the companies that offer these benefits, and the companies that SELL these benefits; like Extend Fertility & Eggsurance….The choice is YOURS. The choice that you make regarding your career and family planning is up to YOU and your FAMILY. Try to block out the demanding voices all around you and even in your head. When the time is right (it may never feel like the right time if you have a demanding career), but when you are ready to have a little mini you in the back of your car, sharing the joys of life – you will find a way to make it work. And for those who struggle TTC or if you fear TTC later in life, by all means freeze those eggs!

We found the following articles published on Bloomberg Business Week by Emma Rosenblum to be more thought out, better presented and factual if you are looking for additional information; check out these two stories.

Given a choice, every woman I spoke to would prefer to have had children earlier and naturally. The hindrance in most cases was their not having found the right partner at the right time. Sure, most were working hard in their careers; this was part of why, they felt, they hadn’t settled down. Not one of the women I interviewed took egg-freezing lightly. They didn’t want to have to do it. While it’s nice to have the option, I doubt that droves of young women in Silicon Valley will be lining up to collect that money.

Like many others who’ve frozen their eggs, Emily uses the word “empowered” to describe the experience. She thinks it will allow her to date without radiating the desperation of someone who has to have a baby right this very second. And now she doesn’t feel as guilty about dedicating most of her time to work. “It’s like, thank God, I don’t have to focus on having kids quite yet. I’m not in a real panic anymore,” she says. Her mother, however, would still like her to get on with it. “She said to me, only half-jokingly, ‘I’m glad you went to business school and work 100 hours a week—and don’t have time to meet anyone—so you can afford to freeze your eggs.’ Thanks, Mom.”

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: BLISSFULMAMAS

Blissfulmamas is inspired by living in the moment, embracing the chaos and enjoying the crazy wonderful ride of motherhood. As working professionals, we really do have it all! Come as you are and embrace it. Families are like snowflakes, each different and unique, no two the same. The antiquated idea of the perfect roadmap to raising a family, balancing a professional job, and everything else in and between is long overdue for a make over! Blissfulmamas is a networking community for working mamas with a positive outlook, looking to collaborate with each other on career advancements, job opportunities, managing and organizing family life, without forgetting about the long overdue personal “me” time. Our goal is to act as a positive outreach for working mamas and be a place where workingmamascan collaborate & find resources, all available on the go! Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | WordPressRead more from and about the author: Blissfulmama’s WiLab Profile

Hello beautiful career mamas. My name is Angie Andrews. We may have met before when I was featured on Blissfulmamas a few months ago. If we did, it is nice to see you again. If you did not, let me just tell you a little of what I am about. My passion and my mission is to inspire women of all ages to practice radical self-care in their lives and to develop a deep relationship with themselves.

My business, Angie Andrews Inspire, was built from personal experience. I spent years working way too many hours, taking care of everyone in my life and leaving myself and my well being in the dust. Through a lot of work and the support of others I have shaken up my life completely and am living a more joyful, connected life. I want to share with the world how to move from burn out and feeling empty to feeling full of love, energy and joy. In my quest to to reach out to those I can help the most, I have created this questionnaire. I am trying to understand more fully what women who are juggling careers outside the home and family life are struggling with. I would GREATLY appreciate it if you would take 5-10 minutes to fill this out. Be honest. Give me the not so pretty truths. Life is messy. We all know that!

Thank you for your time and your input. As a gift to you for helping me out, I would love to offer you a free 45 minute clarity call. On this call we can dive deep into how it is you want to feel and what you think needs to change. I can help you define some small, actionable steps towards a life of radical self-care. If you would like to take me up on this offer, please email me at angie@angieandrewsinspire.com with you contact information and we can find a time to talk.

Meet Catherine McCavanagh… A 37 year old wife and mother of 2 children (Jane, 4 years old and Walter, 2 years old).

I own an Image Consultant/Personal Shopping business called The Honest Eye. I recently started my business and have been doing it for the past year and a half. I have always shopped for friends and family, but recently decided to make it more official, giving it a name and a website, The Honest Eye!

Career Challenges…

Balancing the time I devote to my business and the time I want to spend with my husband and children. I realize my kids are only going to be these young ages for so long so I don’t want that time to slip away but I also am so passionate about my business and I want to devote my energies to it. It’s a common case of not enough hours in the day!

Rewards…

The most rewarding thing about being a working mother is having something for myself. Being home with children full time can be very draining as in you are giving, giving, and giving, and rarely is anyone looking out for you.

Essential ‘must have’…

My essential ‘must have’ is my mother! I am so blessed to have her close by. She is retired and is able to help me as much as needed. I realize that most working moms don’t have this luxury so I feel very blessed in that department. I also have a very supportive husband who pushes me to do my thing and will pick up the slack wherever needed.

Family Dynamic…

I have two children – Jane, 5 years old and Walter 2 years old. Jane is spunky, artistic, very independent, and absolutely loves animals, from worms to horses and everything in between. Walter is more on the cautious side, checking something out from all angles before jumping in. He loves the typical boy things, like cars, trucks, bugs, and balls. Jane and Walter are so in love with each other, not to say though I don’t have to break up a hair pulling fight on a daily basis! My husband Patrick is a wonderful husband and father. Playing with balls and trucks comes easier to him, but he tries so hard to give the same amount of time to Jane with her dolls, animal figurines, and art projects. Along with having a full time career in media sales he also coaches lacrosse for various local teams.

Organization tips…

I try to stay organized by writing everything down in both my calendar at home as well as putting it into my phone. On Sundays I take a look at the week ahead and try to tie up any loose ends. I try not to over commit to activities for the family because I think it gets to the point where the kids don’t appreciate it anymore and the parents end up resenting it. Along with playschool and preschool for the kids I sign them up for one activity at a time, whether it be swimming, art, nature camp, whatever I think they’re strongest interest is at the time.

Healthy Perspective…

I can tend to be a worrier but have gotten much better in the past few years. As long as I am giving my family a healthy amount of attention, and that everyone is healthy and happy, I will not stress about material things or trying to do too much at once.

Me Time..

I try to have a bit of ‘me’ time every single day. Whether it is going to pilates for an hour (I put the kids in the day care at the gym), or it’s taking a half hour to read the latest Vogue when my husband gets home from work. He will look at me sometimes when I am feeling worn down and say ‘go upstairs and take a bath’ – he knows it’s not good for anyone in the family if I don’t have some alone time! I am definitely the personality type that needs some quiet time without anyone around. As far as seeing friends, I try my best to not let slip through the cracks. It is a challenge though since we are all trying to raise families, and we all have different schedules, it’s so exciting though when we can nail down a date to catch up. It’s a cheesy saying but it’s true that it’s food for my soul. My favorite personal activities are reading, exercising, and although cliché, shopping. I wish I could paint more. I’m not the best at it, but I love the feeling of creating something that has an actual end product. I find it cathartic and rewarding.

Finding Inspiration…

I find inspiration everywhere; women and teenagers on the street, books and magazines, and historical trendsetters like Jackie O and Lauren Hutton. My essential must have for myself is fashion and décor magazines – I absolutely devour them every night before bed. My iphone is pretty essential as well. I held out for a while before I got one, but now don’t know what I would do without it.

Balance Challenges…

My challenges are keeping our house intact. I never feel like everything is as organized or clean as I would like it to be. I am constantly 3 loads of laundry behind. half the time the beds are unmade and toys are strewn all over our floors. I realize things won’t be this way forever and I try not to be too hard on myself. My kids don’t notice a messy house and it doesn’t bother my husband when he comes home to it. Once again, I just do my best and get to it when I can.

From one mama to another…

Don’t give up too quickly on working if it seems like it’s getting to be too much of a juggle. Soon enough the kids will be in school for longer periods of time, and you will be grateful that you have kept your foot in the work door. It’s so much harder to get break back in the longer you wait.

I don’t feel like I am the right person to be giving other working mothers tips. I am trying to figure it out myself, as I was home with my kids for a few years. I am now back in the game and unfortunately learning by trial and error. The only tip I can give is to try not to be too hard on yourself. Just listen to your gut and keep plugging along, everything is happening for a reason.